Hay-carrier track



(No Model.)

HAY CARRIER TRACK.

`Patented M551'. 3, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LOUDEN, OF FAIRFIELD, IOVA.

HAY-CARRIER TRACK.

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,608, dated March 3, 1896.

Application filed December 31, 1895. Serial No. 573,911. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LOUDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hay-Carrier Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates to track-rails comprising horizontal wheel-supporting flanges and a vertical web or webs having beads or T-heads thereon for the connection of the necessary track attachments, and also to the attachments for said rail.

It consists, first, of the above described track-rail, being provided with small vertical ribs or enlargements formed at intervals on its vertical web or webs, so as to connect with and support the beads or T-heads thereon and to prevent the track attachments from slipping along the rail; second, of track attachments comprising two members placed face to face, so as to-embrace the beads or T-heads of the rail between them, said members having inwardly projecting flanges to catch around said beads or T-heads and the inner edges of said flanges being recessed or separated into fingers, so as to catch over the ribs on the webs of the track-rail and prevent the attachments from slipping thereon; third, of an improved track-hanger for suspending the rail, consisting of two members placed face to face and adapted to lock together and hold themselves in engagement with the track-rail without the employment of extraneous means, and, further, of the combination and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective showing the track-rail with the hanger and stop-block secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same on line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an outside view of one of the members comprising the hanger.

Fig. 4L is an inside view of the same. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line of Fig. I. Fig. 6 is the same on the line z s of Fig. l. Fig. 7 is an inside view of one of the members comprising the stop-block.

In the drawings, A represents the trackrail, B the hanger, and C the stop-block. The

hanger consists of two members D and E, substantially alike, placed face to faceand adapted to embrace the upper bead or T-head, F, of the track-rail between them. The stop-block C also consists of two members G, substantially alike, secured together face to face and adapted to embrace the lower bead, H. The beads or T-heads F and H are formed on the upper and lower webs, I and J, which connect them with the wheel-supporting flanges K. On the upper and lower webs of the rail are formed at intervals and adjoining the heads small vertical ribs or enlargements L, the function-of which is, first, to strengthen the connection of the webs with the heads, thereby permitting the webs to be made lighter without impairing their strength, and, second, to prevent the hanger B and stop-block C from slipping along the rail.

The ribs or enlargements L are preferably formed on the rail when it is made by rolling, pressing or casting. They are thus formed integrally with the heads F and I-I, and also with the webs I and J. They should stand out Ilush or nearly flush with the edges of the beads or T-heads and extend down and up the webs I and J sufficiently to properly support and strengthen them and to engage the ends of the hanger and stop-block and keep them from slipping.

When hangers and stop-blocks having ordinary connecting-flanges are used they will be held from slipping by placing them on the rail between theribs L, as shown in Fig. l; but when it is desired to make closer adjustments of the hanger and stop-block upon the rail recesses N are formed in the flanges INI of the members which comprise the hanger and stop-block, so as to separate them` into lingers O, as shown in Figs. el and 7. Either of the recesses N will fit over a rib or enlargement L, while the lingers O will catch against their sides, and thus securely prevent the slipping of the attachments along the rail. Bythis means more exact adjustments can be made, and, if desired, the ribs L may be formed closer together than when attachmen ts are used having ordinary ilanges. The In embers comprising the hanger are provided with hooks P and Q, which are reversely placed, so thatwhen the members are in position the hooks4 will lap upon and close each other. The members are also provided with longi- IOO tudinal openings R and S in their bodies and with corresponding lugs or projections T and U, which are adapted to enter said openin gs. To place the hanger on the track-rail and suspend it one of the members is placed upon the head F of the rail with its hook catching over the rafter-bracket, (or other supporting device which may be used), which bracket, being well known to the art, is not shown in the drawings. The other member is then placed on the opposite side oi' the head F, so that the lugs T and U will enter the openings R and S, and is driven longitudinally onto the other, the hook of the last-placed member passing over and catching upon the supporting-bracket in being driven home. The lug on the body of each member having entered the opening in the body of the opposite member, it will be held in engagement therewith, and the hook of each lapping upon and resting against the hook of the other the members comprising the hanger will be held securely together and will hold the head of the rail securely between them.

To prevent the members from getting loose and coming apart catches V are formed upon the inner face of each of the members, so that when they are driven together these catches will slide over and catch upon each other, and thus the members will be held in locked position of themselves and without the employment of any extraneous means for securing them together. To take the hanger off the rail all that is necessary is to pry the upper ends of the members apart suliiciently to disengage the catches V and then drive the members longitudinally apart.

The hooks P and Q catching over the supporting-bracket will also assist in keeping the members of the hanger from coming apart, and if still further security should be rcquired holes e may be made in the members, so as to be opposite each other when the members are locked together, and small pins or keys may be placed in said holes so as to effectually prevent them from getting apart. It will be found, however, in practice that when the lugs R and S, openings I and U, and catches V ai'e properly constructed and arranged no extraneous means whatever will be required to hold the parts of the hanger together.

The ribs or enlargements L may be formed on both sides of the webs I and J, if desired, instead of only one side, as shown in the drawings, but it is thought that one side will be sufficient for the purposes intended. 'Vhen the ribs are placed on both sides of the web and a hanger of the kind herein described is used, they will have to be so arranged in connection with the iianges M or iingers 0 that one of the members will have suiiicient longitudinal movement on the web of the rail to permit the lugs T and U to enter the openings R and S and be driven home.

It is also evident that the lower web of the rail may be discarded without departing from the spirit and scope of myinventicn. In that ease the stop-block C may be placed on the upper web of the rail by extending the lock mechanism of the carrier up to engage it, a construction well known to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secu reby Letters Patent, is-

l. A track-rail comprising a vertical beaded web and horizontal wheel supportin flanges, vertical ribs or enlargements heilig formed on said web at intervals adjoining the bead and connected therewith, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a track-rail comprising a vertical beaded web and horizontal wheel-supporting ilanges, said web having vertical ribs or enlargements formed thereon at intervals adjoining the bead, and a track attachment adapted to embrace the bead ot' the rail and engage one or more of said ribs, substantially as described.

3. A track-rail comprising an upper beaded web, a lower beaded web and intermediate wheel-supliorting flanges, said upper and lower webs having vertical ribs or enlargements formed at intervals on their sides adjoining the beads, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a track-rail coinprising an upper beaded web, a lower beaded web and intermediate horizontal iianges,said webs having vertical ribs or enlargements formed at intervals on their sides adjoining the beads, a hanger adapted to embrace the upper bead and engage a rib on the upper web, and a stopblock secured to the lower bead and adapted to engage a rib on the lower web, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a track-rail having a vertical beaded web with vertical ribs orenlargements formed at intervals thereon adjoining said bead, and a track attachment having inwardly-projeeting ilan ges adapted to embrace said bead and engage one or more of said ribs, recesses being formed on the inner edges of said iianges so as to sepa-rate them into fingers, substantially as described.

(3. A track-hanger comprisin g two members placed face to face and adapted to embrace the edge of a track-rail between them, said members being adapted to lock together of themselves without the employment of any extraneous means to hold them together, substantially as set forth.

'I'. A track-h anger comprising two members placed face to face and adapted to embrace the edge of a track-rail between them, each member having a longitudinal opening in its body, a lug adapted to enter the opening in the opposite member and hold them together, and a catch on their adjoining faces adapted to prevent the longitudinal displacement of the members, substantially as described.

S. A track-hanger comprising two members IOO ITO

placed face to face and adapted to embrace In testimony whereof I have signed this the edges of a track-rail between them, each specification in the presence of two subserib- 1o member having a longitudinal opening in its ing witnesses. 4

body, alug adapted to enter the opening` in T the opposite member and hold them together, VILLIAM LOUDEL and reVersely-plaeed hooks adapted to bear W'itnesses:

against and close eaoh other7 substantially as ARTHUR D. LONG,

set forth. FRANK H. HIGBY. 

